Mail-bag fastener



(No Model.)

` LA FAYETTE CREPS.

MAILBAG'FASTBNER.

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NA PEIERs Pnumumogmphnr, wasningm. D.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LA FAYETTE CREPS, OF SHERIDAN LAKE, COLORADO.

MAI L-BAG FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 407,853, dated July 30, 1889.

A Application filed March 8, 1889. Serial No.-302,431. (No model.)

To all 10700711/ it 11m/y concern:

Be it known that I, 'LA FAYE'r'rE CREPS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sheridan Lake, in the county of lient and State of Colorado, have invented new andl useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in inail-bag fasteners; and it consists in certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective View showing a inail-bag closed and provided with my improved fastening, Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line .fr x of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the upper face of the bag open. Fig. i is a view of the lock with one side of the easing re moved, and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the sheath for the lock.

The mail-bag A is of the usual construction, and is provided near its upper end with a series of longitudinal slots l and a tongue or iiap C. A series of staples D are secured to the tongue or iiap and are adapted to pass through the slots int-o the lock. The lock .lil is provided with a leather sheath or cover F, as shown, and is secured to the inail-bag by reason of the said sheath being riveted to the said bag. The lock is provided .in its inner side with a series ol' vertical slots G, which are adapted to register with the slots .I3 inthe bag, and through which the staples l) ent-er the lock.

The sheath or covering F for the lock. is constructed of a single piece of leather provided at its ends with the tongues ll,adapted to be folded across the ends of. the lock and with the flaps I, which are folded around the inner side of the lock, and are provided with Slots J, adapted to register with the end slots of the lock, as will be readily understood. The sheath projects slightly below the lower edge of the leek, and the said projecting portion is riveted to the inail-bag. 'lhe upper edge of the lock is provided with a longitudinal rib or iiange K, and the upper portion of the sheath is wrapped over said iiange, and then secured thereto and tothe mail-bag by rivets passing through the bag, the sheath, and the iiange. The handle L is also secured i i f by the rivets which. pass through the bag and the said flange, as just stated.

The lock is provided with a number of sliding bolts M, corresponding in number to the staples on the inail-bag'and each adapted to engage one of the staples. 'lhe said bolts are normally projected across the slots by means of springs N, and.are held in engagement with the staples by said springs. A sliding bar O is arranged in the casing of the lock and engages the said bolts, and this sliding' bar is so constructed at one end as to be engaged by a key inserted into the lock when it is desired to open the inail-bag. '.lhe loelc is 'further provided with a series ot' springs l?, which bear on the staples and are adapted to force the staples from the lock when the bolts are withdrawn therefrom.

\Vhen it is desired to lock the mail-bag, the tongue (l is Folded over onto the bag, as shown in Fig. l. The staples l) are thus brought into engagement with the slots in the bag and lock, and will pass through the said slots into the lock, when they will be automatically engaged by the bolts. The bag will thus be securely fastened, and can onlybe opened by turning the lock with the key, unless the bag be out or otherwise destroyed. The bolts in the lock have sufficientplay independent of each other to permit the staples to be inserted singly, but they can only be withdrawn by operating the sliding bar by means ot' the key, as will be readily understood, so that the staples will all be` released at the same time. \Vhen the bolt-s have been disengaged from the staples, the springs l acting thereon will force them out, thereby autoimi-tieally unlocking the bag, as will be readily understood.

rlhe label-holder Q is secured on the outer side oi the sheath `l'or the locli and may be of any desired construction.

Fronrthe foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a inail-bag fastening in which all the locking parts are inelosed, so as to be protected from injury and prevent tampering. In my device there are no pad locks or other projecting devices which are liable to interfere with the rapid handling ot' the mail-bag and which can be easily removed by unprineipled persons. The sheath or covering for the lock is constructed so that it can be cut from a single piece of leather' and easily applied to the lock, and the lock is secured to the bag by the same rivets that secure it to its sheath, so that the number of rivets necessary to secure the parts together is reduced to a minimum.

It will be observed upon reference to the drawings that the lock is so constructed that all the parts are effectually inclosed and consequently cannot be injured by the bagbeing thrown around. Vithin the casing of the lock I provide a series of boxes which receive the staples and contain the springs that throw the staples outward, and these boxes are all equal in depth to the lock-casing, and colisequently form complete braces to prevent the locks being twisted so that it cannot be operated. The casing is so constructed that it will have great strength and the staples are elfectually prevented from bending.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1S

1. The combination, with the inail-bag having a series of slots near its upper end and provided with a iap adapted to be folded over its mouth to cover the said slots, of the staples carried by the said flap and adapted to enter the said slots and pass through the bag and the lock secured to the outer side of the bag and engaging the said staples, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the bag having a fiap carrying staplesand the lock, of the 35 sheath for the lock constructed of a single piece of leather provided at its ends with the tongues 1I and Haps I, the said flaps I having the slots J, all arranged substantially as described. 4o

3. The combination of the mail-bag, the staples carried thereby, and the lock secured to the bag and having a series of springbolts adapted to engage the staples, a sliding bar to disengage the bolts from the staples, 45

and a series of springs adapted to bear on the ends of the staples to project them from the lock, as set forth.

4. The combination of the bag having the slots B G and provided with a flap adapted 5o to fold over the mouth of the bag and cover the slots, the lock secured to the bag and having a series of boxes containing bolts, the staples carried by the iiap of the bag, passing through the slots B G and entering the boxes 55 ot' the look, and the sheath covering the lock and secured to the bag, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LA FAYE'FIE CREPS.

lfVituesses: l

l). (l. TAYLOR, R. A. XVORK. 

